Horizon Season 2005 Episode 17 Madagascar - A Treetop Odyssey

Horizon season 2005 episode 17 is titled Madagascar - A Treetop Odyssey. This episode takes viewers on a journey through the beautiful island of Madagascar, located off the coast of East Africa. Madagascar is home to a wide variety of unique and fascinating wildlife species, including lemurs, chameleons, and tenrecs.

In this episode, viewers are introduced to Dr. Patricia Wright, a primatologist who has been studying lemurs in Madagascar for over 20 years. Dr. Wright takes viewers on a treetop adventure as she conducts research on one of the most fascinating lemur species, the sifaka. These leaping lemurs have a distinctive sideways gait and are known for their acrobatic abilities as they jump from tree to tree.

Throughout the episode, viewers are treated to stunning visuals of the lush forests and diverse wildlife found in Madagascar. The camera crew captures intimate moments of lemurs grooming each other, leaping through the treetops, and even nursing their young.

As Dr. Wright conducts her research, she explains the various challenges facing the lemurs and the people who inhabit the island. Many of the forests in Madagascar have been destroyed due to deforestation and slash-and-burn agriculture, leading to the loss of habitat for the lemurs. In addition, locals have resorted to hunting lemurs for food, which has had a devastating effect on their populations.

Despite these challenges, Dr. Wright remains hopeful for the future of Madagascar's lemurs. Through her research, she has found that ecotourism can provide a sustainable economic alternative to hunting and deforestation. By educating locals and tourists alike about the importance of conservation, Dr. Wright believes that Madagascar's lemurs can be saved from extinction.

Overall, this episode of Horizon provides a fascinating glimpse into the unique and fragile ecosystems found in Madagascar. With stunning visuals and insightful commentary from Dr. Patricia Wright, viewers are sure to be captivated by the treetop adventures of these fascinating lemurs.